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Friday, December 16, 2011

Italian Style

Today I was going to do a day trip to Milan. I haven’t been to see anything other than the train station and the airport. It is the fashion capitol of the world. It is only 2 hours away, and that is taking the slow{=cheaper} train.So I got up early with some of my friends. We knew that there would be a bus and metro strike so we wanted to ride the metro while we could. We got to the train station and looked at the board and this is what it looked like: So much for a day in Milan. So glad I didn’t get the tickets for the Last Supper that are time blocked. So glad that I had a good attitude about the day. Tomorrows plans were mostly executed for today, and tomorrow, well, hopefully I’ll make it to Milan…This brings me to “Italian Style” or “Stile Italiano”, a phrase that is used when something is distinctively Italian. It is why the bus and metro strikes are published and even run during the hours that people are going to and from work. It is why the train conductors said, “hey why don’t have a strike today too?” And it is why there is constant honking from double parked cars. Italians do things differently. There’s something that can’t be explained by anything other than saying “Italian Style” and moving on.It’s the reason that you can see cars parked like this:It’s reason that businesses usually close from 12.30-3.30pm every day.It’s why some people seem to not work because there are honestly laws on the number of hours a shop can be open.It’s the reason that cappuccinos can’t be ordered after 11am and that walking around with anything other than foccacia or a gelato is frowned upon.It’s the reason that people stare at everyone that they pass on the street.It’s the reason that politics and religion are not a taboo topic.It’s the reason that if you go back to restaurant or are friend s with the owner you may get a discount.It‘s the reason that people travel farther to purchase bread or vegetables from the shop that they have ‘always gone to.’It’s the reason that fast food does not exist, and meals are elaborate.It’s the reason everyone says bonjourno or ciao as they walk past.It’s the reason that they always try to speak in English, even if you are trying to practice your Italian {and they don’t know very much English.}It’s just the way that Italians do things.Italian Style.